Bride Of Christ Part II

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. Matthew 22:2 

And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself. Acts 2:38-39 

And the children were yet unborn and had so far done nothing either good or evil. Even so, in order further to carry out God's purpose of selection (election, choice), which depends not on works or what men can do, but on Him Who calls [them], It was said to her that the elder [son] should serve the younger [son]. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (held in relative disregard in comparison with My feeling for Jacob). Romans 9:11-13

When Jesus spoke this parable of the Marriage Supper, the tradition of the people that He told it to was that the father of the groom chose the bride for his son. The glorious Truth for us is that we did not first call on Jesus to be our Lord, our Father first called and chose us to be saved. We were called and chosen to be the Bride before the world ever was created.

But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased Galatians 1:15

This is so powerful, because it means that our Father knew all of our faults and weaknesses before He ever chose us. None of that matters to Him, only the grace of our Father matters. We have been given God’s free grace as He has called and chosen us to be His Son’s Bride. We have been called to be one with our Father through Jesus. We have been called to be new creatures and serve a world that desperately needs service. 

Revelation 21:9-16

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven final plagues (afflictions, calamities) came and spoke to me. He said, Come with me! I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 Then in the Spirit He conveyed me away to a vast and lofty mountain and exhibited to me the holy (hallowed, consecrated) city of Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God,

The city New Jerusalem is not Jesus’ Bride, we are. John can see us because this is where we will be, in the New Jerusalem, Ephesians 5:31-32.

11 Clothed in God's glory [in all its splendor and radiance]. The luster of it resembled a rare and most precious jewel, like jasper, shining clear as crystal.

12 It had a massive and high wall with twelve [large] gates, and at the gates [there were stationed] twelve angels, and [on the gates] the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written:

13On the east side three gates, on the north side three gates, on the south side three gates, and on the west side three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation [stones], and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he who spoke to me had a golden measuring reed (rod) to measure the city and its gates and its wall.

16 The city lies in a square, its length being the same as its width. And he measured the city with his reed--12,000 stadia (about 1,500 miles); its length and width and height are the same.

We are shown that the walls of the city are 1,500 miles high. That means that there is no lack of atmosphere for us! Everything has become new, even the limitations of outer space has been changed.  

Think of why our Father has made so many planets and universes? Then ask yourself why are we told that the walls of the New Jerusalem are 1,500 miles high? I believe that it is because that all of the guests that we are told are able to attend the Wedding Feast, or spend eternity with us, will continue to have children. People say that there is no marriage in eternity, but when Jesus told us that in Matthew 22, He only said there was no marriage for those who are raised up from the dead. Jesus never said that there would be no marriage for those who are living when our Father returns. We are told repeatedly that the nations come in to the New Jerusalem, Micah 4:2, Revelation 15:4, and Revelation 21:26. So there is going to be a ton of people left and they will continue to have children. There will be no more death, so this earth is just not big enough to sustain all of them. That makes eternity so exciting for me because I think that it would get pretty boring if there were only a few of us there and nothing ever changed. But I honestly believe that there will be new life all of the time and new experiences.

Revelation 21:8

8 But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)--[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death.

We are told that all of these kind of people have their part in the Lake of Fire. Now our Father has just told us in the first part of this Chapter that He will have made everything new after Judgment Day. Our Father told us that He would give those who were thirsty the water of life and He told us that He will do it without charging them. We have been told that every knee will have bowed and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. So who will these people be who are thrown into the Lake of Fire for being liars, cowards, and murderers?

If we were to just read this verse it sounds like a ton of people will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. But when Jesus talked about this event in Matthew 22, He only said that one was cast out. Jesus tells us plainly that He will not lose any that He has been given except Judas, John 17:12, and as we have studied so many times before Jesus has been given all, John 17:2. So how can these two very different thoughts be reconciled to fit together? Here is how, we are told that these people have their part in the Lake of Fire. We are not told that they are thrown into the Lake, only that they have a part in it. 

But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

The things that made these people do these things will be burned up. These people suffer loss, yet they themselves will be saved. They will have a part in the Lake, yet they themselves are not thrown into the Lake of Fire. Their evil works will be thrown in. There will be no more cowards, adulterers, liars, faithless, murderers, or idolaters after Judgment Day. All of these evil things that made people sin will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. Old things will pass away and everything will become new, Revelation 21:4. 

If all of these kinds of people were thrown into the Lake of Fire, then why didn’t Jesus allude to it in His parable of the Wedding Feast. Why would our Father have millions of people bow down to Him only to then throw them into Hell? If He will do this, wouldn’t He be acting just as evil dictators act today? If this is the way that it is then Grace would have to be earned and what satan did will have affected far more people then what Jesus did. Jesus will loose far more then just one that He has been given and our Father’s will that all men be saved will not be realized. What good would it be to be God if you didn’t get your will? So all this is saying is that these kind of things and these kinds of people will no longer exist. All things will be new! 

Revelation 21:1-3

1 THEN I saw a new sky (heaven) and a new earth, for the former sky and the former earth had passed away (vanished), and there no longer existed any sea. 

There are many in religion who teach that the Lake of Fire is the earth and Heaven being burned up. But remember that the anti-christ and the false prophet were cast into the Lake of Fire a thousand years before this is all happening here in Chapter 21 of Revelation! So the Lake of Fire has to be another thing that exists in another place. 

2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband; 

3 Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.

We are shown here that we are forever with our Father and that He is forever with us. The Truth is that He has always been with us, so it must just become clear to all that He is, Colossians 1:16. We have been empowered with the Holy Spirit to know this now, but many don’t know this Truth, so this is when it becomes clear to all, Micah 4:2. 

Notice that we are told that the abode of God is now with men! Jesus does not tell John the abode of our Father is with only saved men, or only His children, or only righteous men. The Voice clearly tells us men, all men! Don’t add to or take away from what Jesus shows us here. We will see why this is so important later in this Chapter.

Verse 3 ties right in with Jesus’ parable of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Matthew  22:11-12. Our Father is the King in Jesus’ parable and He returns to live with the people. 

I want you to remember what John taught us about the Bride of Christ. When this is all happening, we are no longer men. 

Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. 1 John 3:2

Just as Jesus is no longer a man, neither will we be. There will be men when our Father reveals Himself completely. Just as Jesus told us that there are guests at the Wedding Feast.  

Revelation 19:11-14

11 After that I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse [appeared]! The One Who was riding it is called Faithful (Trustworthy, Loyal, Incorruptible, Steady) and True, and He passes judgment and wages war in righteousness (holiness, justice, and uprightness).

John is shown Jesus returning to the earth, this is the second time in Revelation that we are shown that this event happens at the end of times. We were also shown this Truth in Revelation 11:15. Notice here too that Jesus is the only One Who is able to rage war in righteousness. This is another confirmation that He is the first Horseman, the only Horseman given a crown, Revelation 6:2. Only Jesus could wage a war on the things that cause people to fall and not the people themselves. Jesus alone is the Shepherd. Jesus Alone is the Head, the Vine, the Lord, and the Great I Am. 

12 His eyes [blaze] like a flame of fire, and on His head are many kingly crowns (diadems); and He has a title (name) inscribed which He alone knows or can understand.

13 He is dressed in a robe dyed by dipping in blood, and the title by which He is called is The Word of God. 

14 And the troops of heaven, clothed in fine linen, dazzling and clean, followed Him on white horses. 

Jesus has a title that only He can understand because He is the only Savior! Also, we see it written again that the troops of Heaven, not the saints of Heaven, not the bride, but the troops of Heaven, are returning with Jesus. Jesus is coming to get us at the end of the Great Tribulation. And we will be caught up to be with Him as He is returning, to be with Him when He cleanses the earth of the Harlot, Babylon, and the anti-christ. We return with Him when He takes over for His 1,000 year rule!

Revelation 19:6-10

6 After that I heard what sounded like the shout of a vast throng, like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of terrific and mighty peals of thunder, exclaiming, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! For now the Lord our God the Omnipotent (the All-Ruler) reigns! 

7 Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.

8 She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people). 

9 Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God. 

After the Great Tribulation is the time of the marriage supper of the Lamb, it clearly happens after Babylon has fallen, after all of the seals have been opened, after the trumpets have sounded, and after the plagues have been released. Notice that the voices from Heaven sing at last the Bride has prepared herself, at last the time for the supper is at hand. The Great Tribulation is coming to an end, and the inhabitants of Heaven are glorifying our Father because the Marriage Supper, the celebration and party have finally arrived.

10 Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship (to pay divine honors) to him, but he [restrained me] and said, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] another servant with you and your brethren who have [accepted and hold] the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy [the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose, including both mine and yours]. 

Angels don’t allow people to bow down before them, Peter didn’t allow people to bow down before him, Acts 10:24-26. Yet today the Pope has absolutely no problem with people doing it, actually he fully expects them to! Think about that, the Pope allows people to bow to him and he expects people to kiss his man made ring. When Jesus was here, He took on the servants towel and washed the disciples feet. The Holy Ghost had John write that if we say that we love Jesus, then we ought to walk as He walked, 1 John 2:6. So if Jesus wasn’t walking around having people bow down to Him and kiss a ring, why is the Pope demanding it today? Beware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing, Matthew 7:15!

Revelation 14:19-20 Part 3

19 So the angel swung his scythe on the earth and stripped the grapes and gathered the vintage from the vines of the earth and cast it into the huge winepress of God's indignation and wrath. 

20 And [the grapes in] the winepress were trodden outside the city, and blood poured from the winepress, [reaching] as high as horses' bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia (about 200 miles).

Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary. Matthew 13:30

In Jesus’ parable about the wheat and the darnel in Matthew 13, we are told that an enemy came and sowed weeds resembling wheat in the field. Now darnel is not wheat, even though it looks like wheat. Darnel was never wheat and it never could be wheat, even though it resembles wheat. 

Also notice that an enemy sowed the weeds, not the owner of the field. So what exactly am I getting at? It is that I am coming to believe more and more that the fallen angels are right here among us, not just as spirits, but as bodies who look like humans. Our Father allowed satan to sow them here and they believe that they are harming us, when actually they are strengthening our Father within us, 2 Corinthians 12:10. 

We are told in the Old Testament that angels actually came and had children with human women, Genesis 6:4. We are told in the New Testament that we can be entertaining angels and not even be aware of it, Hebrews 13:2. So these beings, or darnel, look like people, act like people, yet they are not human. They are unable to ever be one with our Father through Jesus Christ and will never be used to produce fruit by the Holy Spirit. These beings marvel at the relationship that we have with our Father and the attention that He gives us, Hebrews 2:6. They rebelled and have been cast down to the earth and they know that there time is short, Revelation 12:9. During the end times these fallen angels will actually believe that they can do battle with Jesus and win. This is why they are caught away and taken to the place where our Father gathers together the birds to consume their flesh, Armageddon, Matthew 24:28. 

The darnel, or the fallen angels, are gathered first. Jesus so plainly tells us in John 17:2 that He has been given all human flesh and that He will give eternal life to all that He has been given. In John 6:39. Jesus tells us that He will not lose any that He has been given and He has been given all humans. I believe that Jesus was more successful on the Cross then satan was at the Garden of Eden. I believe that the sin of Adam that allowed all sin to come into the world is in no way to be compared with the victory of the Cross, Romans 5:16. I believe that because of Jesus the number of people who spend eternity with Him will be as the sands of the sea. There is a reason that in the parable of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb that Jesus only said one wasn’t allowed to stay and then in John 17 Jesus tells us that only Judas was lost. Jesus was very successful and the more that our Father shows me with His Word the more clearly the greatness and the mass quantity of those saved becomes to me.  

I hope that this study of Revelation is bringing you peace and hope and that our Father uses you to read Revelation out loud and hear it being read out loud in groups. There is such a blessing on us when He does. 

When Does The Marriage Supper of The Lamb Begin?

And he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent [of primeval times], who is the devil and Satan, and [securely] bound him for a thousand years. Then he hurled him into the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should no longer lead astray and deceive and seduce the nations until the thousand years were at an end. After that he must be liberated for a short time. Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. Revelation 20:2-4

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people). Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God. Revelation 19:7-9

Jesus tells us that the Marriage Supper of the Lamb does not occur until satan is bound and imprisoned in the Abyss. The theory of a pre-tribulation rapture teaches us that the Marriage Supper begins seven years before this, when we are told that the saints are raptured off of the earth. However, we are told repeatedly in scriptures that the dead in Christ are not raised until the last day, John 6. We are shown that the dead in Christ are not raised until the last trumpet sounds, 1 Corinthians 15:52. We are told that the living in Christ can in no way precede the dead in Christ, 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and here in Revelation we are shown that the Marriage Supper does not begin until satan is bound and cast into prison on the last day.

Do not fear the Great Tribulation. If you are truly chosen and called by our Father to be here during these 3 1/2 years, you will be used as no other generation has been used to do the works that Jesus did and even greater works. In times of great persecutions, comes times of great demonstration of the Holy Spirit.

When Our Father Comes There Will Be A Ton Of Forgiveness!

But when the king came in to view the guests, he looked intently at a man there who had on no wedding garment. Matthew 22:11

Remember in this parable that the King is God. Revelation 20:11 shows us our Father coming to the Marriage Supper of the Bride.

Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

When our Father comes to the Marriage Supper, every human that was ever born will be there. The dead are raised up to be here with Him and all of us who are alive are with Him. This is why Jesus told us that the room was filled with both good and bad.

I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books. And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works]. Revelation 20:12-13

Notice here in Revelation that we are told that only the dead are judged, not that the living are judged. We are also shown that that the Bride is not judged here; we are only shown that the dead are judged. I want you to ask yourself this question, why does our Father raise up the dead souls and reunite them with their bodies? Ask yourself this as well, is our Father the same yesterday, today, and forever? How many times does Jesus teach us to forgive? Did Jesus set the captives free from Hades when He went there for the 3 days following His crucifixion?

The answers all have to deal with the guests. Jesus forgave those in Hades when He went there and He set them free, 1 Peter 3. These souls that we are shown in Revelation 20 are raised and reunited to be with their bodies to be our guests for eternity. Our Father never changes and He tells us to forgive 70 times 7 times. We pray in the Lord's prayer to forgive and that is what is done here when these people are raised up. All of peoples sin's shall be forgiven them except one, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 12:31.

There is a Lake of Fire, a Hell, and we will be shown in the next verses that at least one person will be thrown into it. So at least one person will commit this unforgivable sin of Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. But for the rest of the guests who don't commit the only unforgivable sin, their sins shall be forgiven them and they will be blessed for eternity as our Wedding guests!